TUS researcher fears for family amid Iran unrest and blackout

By Rebekah O'Reilly

A TUS researcher has spoken of her fear for the lives of her mother and sister, as she has been unable to make contact with her family since a communications blackout was imposed in Iran on Thursday, January 8.

The Iran native, who lives in Athlone, said the lack of communication has left families inside and outside the country living in constant fear and uncertainty.

Iran has entered a serious period of unrest as nationwide protests over economic collapse have turned into open revolt against the Islamic Republic.

Sparked by strikes in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar after the Iranian currency, the rial, hit record lows, demonstrations are continuing across the country, with protesters now openly calling for the end of clerical rule by leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei.

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent, the woman, who asked not to be named, said: “It is a repeated and deliberate tactic of the Iranian Republic to cut communications when they are going to do a massacre.

“For us, it is a dangerous warning sign. People inside Iran are not able to connect to the outside world or to contact their families.”

The Athlone resident said the internet is sometimes briefly restored solely to release threatening messages or footage, before being shut down again. She explained that the Iranian government carry out night arrests during the blackouts.

“The latest figures show that over 12,000 people have been killed. People disappear. They torture people, force confessions, and intimidate families,” she said.

“I don’t know whether my mother and my sister are safe, if they have been arrested, or if they are alive. I haven’t been able to reach them since January 8. I always have hope, but they never answer. I leave messages for my sister everyday.

“I’m not the only person in this situation. All of my Iranian friends have not been able to make contact with their families.”

Decades of repression, economic mismanagement, and social restrictions have pushed people to breaking point she said, adding that unrest in the region came to a head due to extreme inflation and poverty as the Iranian Republic focuses on ideological goals.

Despite ideological differences across Iran, the researcher said that the people of Iran are now coming together to fight for the formation of a democratic government and unity across the country.

Reva Pahlavi, the son of Iran's former Shah, is viewed as the strongest potential leader for the interim period. She stressed that this does not mean a return to monarchy, but rather a transitional leadership followed by a public vote.

“It’s a really critical moment for us. This is a revolution. This moment has a clear goal: the end of the Islamic Republic,” she said.

“We want separation of religion and state, territorial integrity, and accountability for this regime’s crimes. We want a democratic referendum where the Iranian people can decide their future."

Although the TUS researcher has fear for her family members in Iran, she said she felt compelled to use her voice to call for action.

"Every day I am afraid, but I have to use my voice for the people at home who cannot speak," she said. "We are not asking for symbolic gestures from the EU. What we need is decisive action against violence."

She added: “The Islamic Republic must go, and there is no other way for us. We are not afraid anymore, we will fight.”